The ever-so-unpublicized RED released in theaters across the nation this Friday, and as expected, very little buzz was created. Well, that needs to stop now. RED was given such a low budget for publicity that it really is no wonder no one has ever heard about this wonderfully entertaining and hilarious movie.

In a film that mashes the action genre with comedy and splashes of romance, a polarizing effect can be created: one will either love it or hate it. However, with RED, that isn't the case. With solid acting, ingenious and creative storytelling, BADASS fight scenes, well-fitting music, good writing, great editing, and deliciously diabolical villains, the audience can easily find itself actually laughing out loud.

RED is an over-the-top action comedy based on a DC comic book that follows ex-CIA operatives who are being killed off by their formal employer because of their knowledge of sensitive information. RED creatively uses imaginative action scenes that don't seem gimmicky like other over-the-top movie (ahem, Scott Pilgrim, ahem). RED knows that it was never meant to be taken very seriously, and it delivers a solid, enjoyable experience that should not be missed.

If for no other reason, you have to go see this movie for the genius performance of John Malkovich as a crazed ex-agent. This was great acting in its highest sense. Malkovich will probably not be nominated for an Oscar for his performance because of the nature of the film, but I would easily cast my vote for him as the comedic performance of the year.

Aside from Malkovich, Bruce Willis performs solidly as the main character; Morgan Freeman is wonderful (and a bit underutilized); Helen Mirren is delightful; and Brian Cox as Ivan is enchanting. (I will admit, though, Mary-Louise Parker can get a bit annoying a the female lead...)

At times morbidly funny and at times pure unadulterated fun, this movie gets a nice solid A-.

Did you know that the ever-so-popular fruit known as the banana would never have survived the evolutionary process had it not been for some forward thinking farmers who decided to artificially cultivate the plant?

The original banana lacked the ability to reproduce. Apparently, the banana is the sterile result of cross-pollination between two very unpalatable species of fruit.

If the farmers of yore had not been so adept at agriculture, the lovable banana may not have survived to this day. These cultivators realized that while the banana seeds could not be planted for offspring, they could still bud the stems of the two parent plants together to grow the yellow plant. Through their efforts, the banana was introduced to audiences worldwide, and the Cavendish variety is now bought from markets and enjoyed worldwide.

A similar incident occurred with the seedless Navel Orange (which is actually a Siamese twin of fruits), but don't take my word for any of this. Read Matt Castle's article on damninteresting.com for a much more detailed account of the interesting origins of the banana.

Is life on other planets possible? Scientists have debated this questions for years now, but we may finally be closer than ever to the truth. Astronomers recently discovered a planet that fulfills the "Goldilocks" requirements (aka the "just right" environment) that sustains life on Earth.

The newly discovered planet (located 120 trillion miles away in the constellation Libra) displays the similar habitable environments as our own planet. Chances are that liquid water may also be present, and as our own history shows, where there is liquid water, there is life. The planet currently holds the name Gliese 581g because it is the sixth planet orbiting the dwarf star Gliese 581 (given the letter "a") and is about three times the size of Earth. 581g orbits Gliese 581 once every 37 days and does not seem to orbit much, indicating that there may be widely varying landscapes across the planet ranging from -25 degress to 160 degrees.

The presence of water on 581g has not been confirmed, but reaching the faraway (yet cosmically close) planet would take a few generations of human life. Interestingly, according to the researchers, if you were to stand on the 581g, you would be able to see our Sun without the aid of telescopes. Where conditions for life are met, life follows eventually. Even if it is not an advanced life form, maybe we are not alone in this universe after all...